Acast shows strong sales growth

• Acast released its Q2/26 financial report. The company reported +28% sales growth - significantly, +34% in North America and +25% in Europe (growth this time last year in Europe was just +9%). The company made a profit of US$3.3mn. Total consumption is up +2%; total average revenue per listen-or-view is up +26%.

• The AMP Task Force paper is released later today, with a definition of a “podcast”, as well as consumption metrics. Podnews will cover these on Friday, as well as reactions: if you’re publishing something in response (or would like something published), editor@podnews.net

• SpotsNow launched curated bundles - a new way for advertisers to buy premium podcast inventory in ready-made sets built around specific audiences. It’s free for advertisers, and free for networks to list their shows.

• British podcast producer Noiser has seen a year-on-year increase of 39% in UK listens, the company says - but what’s really growing for the company is audiobooks-as-podcasts, including Sherlock Holmes Short Stories narrated by Hugh Bonneville, Pride and Prejudice narrated by Dame Julie Andrews, and Charles Dickens’ Ghost Stories narrated by Sir David Suchet; those adaptations drove 50 million listens over the last year.

• The British Podcast Awards has revealed the shortlist for the awards; they’ll take place on Oct 1.

• Own a Focusrite audio interface? The company has released Focusrite Control 2 in beta, and it’s compatible with a wider range of interfaces, making it easier to record, route audio, and check levels.

• Podcast host Ausha has recertified for IAB Podcast Measurement Guidelines v2.2.

People news

• John C Dvorak has died. A tech writer and journalist, he was a TV and radio host with CNet and NPR, before appearing in podcasts like CrankyGeeks, Tech5, This Week in Tech and No Agenda. He was 80. He still gets no spam.
• Richard Herring, the long-term host of RHLTSP, has revealed that he has been diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer. The cancer is incurable but treatable, “and will not kill me”, he says; he’ll be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe.

No Gear, No Gig!

Paid content

It’s not unusual for podcasters working at home to think that their studios and gear are covered by their homeowner’s insurance. However, if that equipment is used to generate income, it’d likely be considered “business equipment” and excluded from a claim.

Check with Laura Donelan at MusicPro Insurance to make sure the tools of your trade are properly covered. MusicPro is a 20+ year old company owned by ASCAP and Sterling Risk specializing in protecting music and AV gear. For the “white glove service” MusicPro is known for, call Laura today at 1-800-MusicPro, or reach out by email at ldonelan@musicproinsurance.com.

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Tips and tricks - with Podcast Movement NYC

• “We need to keep being weird”, says Blythe Terrell, the Executive Editor of Spotify’s Science Vs, speaking at Podcast Movement Evolutions earlier this year. Being unpredictable can dramatically boost your impact, she says.
• Books are good to learn from. Here’s a list of books we recommend, from people like Eric Nuzum, Dave Jackson, and Tom Webster.

Podcast News - with Airwave

With Airwave: Big Picture Science looks at modern science research, through smart and funny storytelling. Seth Shostak and Molly Bentley host the show, which this week talks to scientists in the Arctic Ocean about the continent’s warmer temperatures, and what that means to the rest of us.

Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (RHLSTP) recently re-ran an episode with Count Binface, a UK parliamentary candidate who is currently fighting against the scandal-ridden far-right politician Nigel Farage.

Teaching through Emotions, hosted by psychodynamic therapist Betsy Burris, has released a special episode centered on Vahombey Project, a school library project in the rural village of Bekitro, Madagascar. Alongside the episode, TTE is launching a fundraising campaign to support the library and its students.

Everything They Don’t Tell You is a no-BS podcast for builders-entrepreneurs, leaders, and creators growing their businesses, their teams, and themselves. The shows says it delivers value-driven conversations that bridge tactical business strategy with who you have to become to actually execute it.

Could your podcast be losing listeners before they ever press play? This week, Courtney Elmer joins Buzzcast to reveal the five podcast gatekeepers that shape a listener’s first impression and what small changes could make a big difference for your own show.

Why Am I Still Single? is a weekly deep dive into the real stories, messy feelings, and absurd moments of being spectacularly single in Nigeria. Each episode, Check Edgar unravels one relationship drama, heartbreak plot twist, or friendship catastrophe with the same comedic deadpan you’d expect from late-night Lagos group chats. Honest, ridiculous, and weirdly relatable.

Back from the Brink is the new season of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom podcast highlighting the stories of threatened and endagered species, saved through conservation efforts. Hosted by wildlife ecologist Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant and veteran conservationist Peter Gros, each episode goes deep on a single species and the scientists, field biologists, and unexpected heroes who brought it back - with guests including Jeff Corwin, Philippe Cousteau Jr., and Coyote Peterson.